Many franchise owners have likely avoided small business loans because they are busy enough already. When you open a new franchise, you must simultaneously take on the roles of recruiter, accountant, sales executive, and HR manager. But United Capital Source’s franchise business loans can be accessed in just a few business days, and you don’t have to play three rounds of phone tag just to have a question answered. With a merchant cash advance, payments are automatically deducted from sales and therefore require no manual action from the business owner. It is literally impossible to “miss” a payment.
“ApplePie Capital can accelerate the growth of franchisees because we start by spending time with the franchisee up front to assess their situation, and then identify the best financing options to reach their short and long term goals. Sometimes that will be SBA, and sometimes it will be other options that the local bank doesn’t offer. And unlike the local bank, ApplePie knows the brand metrics. We can underwrite the loan ourselves for our core product, or can educate our lender network on the brand so the franchisee doesn’t have to.”
A number of costs go into the launching a franchise. Initial costs include paying for professional advisers such as a lawyer to look over contracts and an accountant to advise or manage your finances. You’ll also need to invest money up-front for anything your business will need: real estate or lease payments, inventory, equipment, supplies insurance, licenses, recruitment, employee preparation, and signage. A grand opening event and initial marketing expenses will also add to your startup costs. You’ll also want to account for ongoing expenses such as professional services, supplies, employee pay and benefits, rent or property taxes, utilities and maintenance.

The franchisor: Some franchisors help finance new franchises by waiving fees or partnering with lenders to help franchisees get loans. If a company offers funding, it’s usually listed on its website and in Section 10 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Compare the terms of the franchisor’s financing with other options to find the best source of funding.

Balboa Capital works with franchisees in the quick service restaurant, fast casual dining, hospitality, and fitness industries. Helping you get the best financing solution is our primary goal, but we never forget the importance of excellent customer service. Your experienced Balboa Capital franchise financing manager will work closely with you and is committed to your success. Once we earn your business, you will see why we are fully accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Get matched with a mentor who has experience building a business by visiting SCORE.org. SCORE is dedicated to helping small businesses develop and thrive through mentorship and training programs. SCORE mentors can help small business owners write a business plan, determine the type of lending they need, figure out the best bank(s) to approach for a loan and prepare to meet with a loan officer.

SBA loans or loans that are backed by the Small Business Administration, a federal agency, do not typically need collateral. Even startups can get business loans without collateral through the SBA. Technically, banks or lenders will not decline your business loan application if you have no collateral. However, there has to be some kind of security. You may extend a personal guarantee. There could be some assets, whatever form and shape, which may have some tangible value and that can be attached to the loan as security.

That is why you should use an administrative service to manage your loan, and give you a professional platform to raise the money and make payments to. This can make it easier for people you know to lend money to your business, and you won’t have to worry about any of the paperwork or tax implications. It could also improve your chances at getting funded.
Starting a business involves a lot of moving factors, but the most important one is financing. You are going to need to spend some time evaluating your business model and writing your business plan before you can really determine the type of loan you need and the best way to secure that loan. As your business grows, your lending needs will change, so take the time now to understand the differences between lending and investing so you can be ready when your company starts to grow and needs to adjust its financing.
While it can be tempting to pick a lower-priced option to lower your risk, it’s important to make sure you aren’t compromising too much based on finances. Instead, consider a loan or other method of financing that can help you get you started. Some franchising companies run their own franchise financing programs to help franchisees get in the door.
James D. Stice, PhD, is the Distinguished Teaching Professor of Accounting in the School of Accountancy at BYU. Professor Stice has been at BYU since 1988. He has co-authored three accounting textbooks and published numerous professional and academic articles. In addition, Professor Stice has been involved in executive education for Ernst & Young, Bank of America Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation, RSM McGladrey, and AngloGold Limited and has taught at INSEAD (in both France and Singapore) and CEIBS (in China). He has been recognized for teaching excellence by his department, his college, and the university. Professor Stice currently serves on the board of directors of Nutraceutical International Corporation.
Often times, a franchisee looking to open their first franchise will fit nicely into a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan product. SBA loans are made by banks or other participating lenders - not the government. SBA loans allow the lenders to extend credit to borrowers, who they may not be able to lend on a conventional basis, by taking advantage of a guarantee that the SBA provides to the lender in the event of default. There are a few different options, but the Flagship SBA 7a product gives the bank a 75% guarantee if your loan defaults - so that the money that the bank lends to you is not entirely at risk. SBA loans are typically priced at Wall Street Journal Prime + 1 to 2.75%, for terms of 7 to 25 years, depending on the use of funds.

So it pays to have a comfortable cushion, just in case things don’t pan out as expected. And it’s much easier and cheaper to arrange funding when times are good than it is when you’re desperate. Of course, you don’t want to be paying interest on unnecessary debt either, but there are funding options, like lines of credit, that you only pay for when you activate them. In any case, it’s worth researching your options early on.

If you're thinking about starting a business, you likely already have an idea of what you want to sell, or at least the market you want to enter. Do a quick search for existing companies in your chosen industry. Learn what current brand leaders are doing, and figure out how you can do it better. If you think your business can deliver something other companies don't (or deliver the same thing, but faster and cheaper), you've got a solid idea and are ready to create a business plan.

Loans are made by StreetShares investors, who bid on loans for companies. The more appealing your business idea is to investors, the better your loan options. It only takes a few minutes to see if you qualify for a loan. Once you are approved, your loan will get bid on by competing investors. The competition process lasts from one to four days, and then it takes another day or two for the money to get deposited into your account. In total, the process of getting a loan through StreetShares takes about a week.

The first step in applying for a franchise loan is making sure you are well-prepared before you connect with a lender. This means that you should have identified the franchise you wish to pursue, and should have your supporting documents and loan package organized and available when you engage with lenders. The goal is to make a solid first impression to show that you are prepared and will successfully put the lender's money to good use and can be trusted to repay the loan. Accessing capital to start your business is perhaps the most difficult step in the start-up process. An online service like BoeFly.com, (we specialize in franchise finance - see what franchise brands have to say about BoeFly) or working with a financial adviser can help prepare you to address any deficiencies within your loan package. Loan brokers will typically cost you a $2000 packaging fee or more, and they may charge the lender a fee of 1-2% of the loan amount, which may come back to you as a hidden cost in the closing costs or in increased interest rates. In contrast, BoeFly has several plans available starting at just $249 to help fully guide you through the process of building a professional, lender ready package and connect you with over 5,000 lenders.

Small business term loans. Term loans are typically for a set dollar amount (e.g., $250,000) and are used for business operations, capital expenditures, or expansion. Interest is paid monthly and the principal is usually repayable within 6 months to 3 years (which can be amortized over the term of the loan or have a balloon payment at the end). Term loans can be secured or unsecured, and the interest can be variable or fixed. They are good for small businesses that need capital for growth or for large, onetime expenditures.

How do so many small businesses get started? It all begins with the right type of financing. Whether you're just starting up or you're expanding your existing business, you need money to get rolling. This guide will help you figure out the type of loan you need for your business and will look at the step-by-step process of securing a business loan:
You need to be prepared for a rejection of your loan, and you need to be prepared to re-work your business plan, save more money or do whatever else the loan officer suggests to secure a loan. It can be hard not to take a rejection personally, but remember that the lender is not rejecting you or your business idea–they are simply rejecting the opportunity to help you finance your business. You need to rework your business plan and/or secure more capital before you try again.

Delivered by industry experts with real small business experience, this highly anticipated program covers the 11 essential elements of running and operating a small business in just a few short weeks. The program also offers a great discount, ideal for those starting out. At only $349 the package will save you more than 40% on individual seminar registration.

Embarking on a new business venture is both exciting and terrifying in equal measure. On one hand, you’ll finally be the boss; the master of your own destiny who’s pursuing success in something that you’re truly passionate about. On the other hand, you now have a laundry list of things that you need to tick off before you even start to make sure everything kicks off smoothly.
If you have a newer franchise or need capital ASAP, OnDeck (see our review) is one of the easiest and quickest ways to get a short-term loan or line of credit. Though OnDeck isn’t specifically geared toward franchise owners, it’s a viable online loan option for any type of small business owner that doesn’t qualify for a bank loan or doesn’t want to wait months to receive loan funds. OnDeck also recently partnered with the Franchise Council of Australia in an effort to better serve the global franchise market (fun fact: Australia actually has more franchise outlets per capita than America).
Though the fastest growing entrepreneurs were entering this business model are Millennials. Franchising at a rate that cannot be ignored; the latest Census data shows that 66% of Millennials are interested in entrepreneurship, nearly making up 30% of all entrepreneurs are between 20-24 years old, and over 25% are self-employed. Additionally, they launch 160,000 start-ups each month motivating the IFA (International Franchise Association) to start the NextGen Franchise initiative that recognizes and supports young entrepreneurs. The IFA is going as far as reaching out to this generation while their still in school, introducing them to the benefits and possibilities of franchising offered through education, scholarship, and leadership. Another age group making up a large part of the market are the baby boomers and seniors. More services being developed are quality of life/wellness products, patient advocacy, non-medical home care, and respite care. And lastly, there are an increase in businesses interested in kids and child enrichment that is thriving and showing no signs of slowing down. Each has displayed an interest in getting kids moving, reading, thinking, and believing in themselves. These businesses have provided a sense of accomplishment and community within a supportive environment. Therefore, a trend of development centered around fitness, sports, music, art, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), tutoring, and child care have grown immensely. However, with the trends centering around technology, the food industry, and the distinct influence of individual age groups, franchising is proving to be a flourishing industry with a positive future.
Traditional bank options include term loans, lines of credit and commercial mortgages to buy properties or refinance. Through banks, the U.S. Small Business Administration provides general small-business loans with its 7(a) loan program, short-term microloans and disaster loans. SBA loans range from about $5,000 to $5 million, with an average loan size of $371,000.